Jim Gilchrist, MMP Exclusive – For those of us who value the rule of law, representative government and national sovereignty, these are indeed trying times. Our own elected officials in Washington seem more determined than ever to create a path to citizenship for 11+ million non-citizens who have crossed our borders to reside here illegally.
While the motives of these people cannot be denied – the desire for jobs to support their families and create a better life for their children – it also cannot be denied that amnesty will further stress our social welfare infrastructure at a time when we must already endure a sputtering economy, suffer high unemployment and stagnant wages that threaten the middle class, tolerate outrageous government spending, and sacrifice our progeny on the alter of crushing national debt.
It’s not likely that an amnesty will improve things. In fact, it is more likely that current immigration reform proposals will cause these problems to worsen over time.
One reason is that citizenship opens the door to family members as well. What amounts to 11 million people today, becomes 50 million through chain migration in just a few decades. Add to that, never-ending waves of illegal immigration driven by the hope of another amnesty, and we could face a population explosion that creates problems of such magnitude that sane solutions will be beyond reach.
The U.S. is already the world’s third most populous country, behind China and India, and our immigration policy is already the world’s most generous. Over 4 million people are in various stages of the legal process that will one day allow them a shot at living the American dream. Behind them are 150 million people worldwide who would like to come to the United States in search of a better life.
What’s the cost for the rest of us?
We’re already in miserable shape… The country to which so many people are drawn for a better life ranks 17th in education among industrialized nations. In the quality of healthcare, it ranks 37th; in life expectancy, 28th.
According to World Bank statistics, the U.S. is not even the best place for entrepreneurs. In terms of how easy it is to start a business, the U.S. places 13th, behind such countries as Rwanda, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Macedonia, Ireland, and New Zealand. Interestingly, China, the most populous, ranks 151st out of 185 countries; India, the second most populous, ranks 173rd.
We have some wiggle room before we find ourselves in those situations, but avoiding a free fall requires that we put the brakes on Washington’s fascination with runaway immigration and demand that it loosen the shackles on starting new businesses. This would seem sensible to many of us in the hinterlands – unless, of course, other motives are in play among our elected.
